Star-spangled banner to fly with music, fireworks at Pops Concert

Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Military members from Goodfellow Air Force Base carry a large American flag to the Chadbourne Street bridge during last year’s annual July 3rd Pops Concert at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage in San Angelo.

Audience members stand and cheer during the Salute to the Armed Forces medley played by the San Angelo Symphony Orchestra during the annual July 3rd Pops Concert at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage last year.

photos by Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Fireworks begin to go off from Celebration Bridge during last year’s annual July 3rd Pops Concert in San Angelo.

SAN ANGELO, Texas - A 27-year-old small-town tradition doesn’t grow to become the fourth-largest of its kind in Texas without year-to-year tweaks.

The San Angelo Symphony July 3rd Pops Concert each year draws about 35,000 locals, out-of-towners and people who live out of state who have made the event part of their Independence Day weekend festivities, said Courtney Mahaffey, the symphony’s executive director.

The fete — complete with a renowned fireworks show from pyrotechnics expert Kenneth Landon to the tune of music from the San Angelo Symphony, a performance from the Community Band and activities for children — starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage. Gates open at noon.

“We’re very fortunate that 27 years ago we came together with the Community Band at Goodfellow and our local state representative and senator and decided we wanted to do something that would celebrate our country,” she said. “I think it speaks to the fact that our community is so patriotic that this is an event people can relate to and enjoy. The symphony is proud to be able to produce it at no cost to the public and invite everyone out.”

Multi-Chem for the sixth year in a row is the event’s title sponsor, and Mayfield for the fourth consecutive year is sponsoring the fireworks, Mahaffey said.

“We are grateful that we have formed a friendship and partnership that is so strong and has been so positive on our community,” she said.

All loyalty aside, the San Angelo Symphony and Pops Concert organizers work hard to keep the event fresh each year, Mahaffey said.

“We always change the music,” she said. “We try to find new, different, fun fireworks. Ken Landon is phenomenal and provides a great show. We’re trying to find new ways to bring new people in and have them enjoy their time with the symphony. We’re always evolving and changing and doing.”

Music this year will sample the Disney musical “Frozen” as well as “Star Wars,” Mahaffey said.

“We have a lot of fun music kids and families are going to love,” she said, adding that, also new this year is a symphony kids’ zone. “It’s a play area that will be set up with different games like ring toss and beanbag toss and have a face painting artist and balloon animal artist. We’re hoping our guests will bring their kids and have them come and play before the concert.”

San Angeloans obviously have made the Pops Concert a family tradition, but people living outside the state who plan to celebrate the 4th of July in cities such as Austin and Houston have made San Angelo part of their trip just because of the Pops Concert, Mahaffey said.

“We’ve gotten phone calls from people in New Mexico and Oklahoma, and they’re stopping through San Angelo, which is great,” she said. “It’s great for our local businesses, the restaurants, the local hotels. It’s a great event for our community as a whole.”

The fireworks show, she said, is the event’s largest draw.

“It’s so exciting because there’s (live) music to the fireworks, and it’s very dramatic,” she said. “It makes you proud to be an American.”

As in past years, service members from Goodfellow Air Force Base will be in attendance, volunteering their time, Mahaffey said.

“They serve as ushers for the event, and we have the color guard (featured) at the beginning of the concert; they unveil the flag to a certain piece of music,” she said. “Goodfellow Air Force Base plays a huge role in the logistics and success of the convert. As much as we are supportive of them and using this day to honor them, they are still giving back to the community through their volunteerism.”